AGREED UPON THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE ASSEMBLY OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

European Social Forum 17-21 September 2008, Malmö, Sweden


2009: To Change Europe


On the European level, we are witnessing a liberal and anti-social front on all domains: economic financial crisis, price increases, food borne illness crisis, privatization and disassembly of public services, movements against work reform, decisions of the European Court of Justice, dismantling of the Common Agricultural Policy, reinforcement of Fortress Europe against migrants, weakening of democratic and civil rights and growing repression, economic cooperation agreements, military intervention in external conflicts, military bases… all this in a world where inequalities, poverty and global and permanent war are increasing day by day.

In this context of global crisis, we want to reaffirm that alternatives do exist for global justice, peace, democracy and environment.


We, the European social movements gathering in Malmö, have committed on a common agenda in the way to lead the fight for "another Europe" and Europe based on the people’s rights.


on the social issue

We launch immediately a COMMON EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN against UE social and labour policies, first to oppose specifically the EU directive on working time and UE decision on migrant labour.

This campaign will have different steps ( ex : December the 6th in Paris) and includes the objective of a massive joint mobilization at European level as soon as possible.

As a second step, we build up a large, inclusive and strategic conference/counter-summit of all the European social movement, in Brussels in March.


against NATO and war

we call a large demonstration in April the 4th in Strasbourg/Kehl , centre of celebration of the 60th anniversary of NATO, to say “stop NATO” and dissolving this terrifying tool of war. In the same day we call demonstrations in all countries in Europe. We propose the WSF in Belem to declare the 4th of April a day of international mobilisation against Nato and all imperialistic military pacts.


against the climate crisis

we call for a global day of action on climate on December 6th during the Poznan summit in Poznan itself and al other the world. We are calling for a massive international mobilisation next year to make the critical Copenhagen talks in December 2009


against G8

In July 2009, the Sardinian and Italian social movement will invite all movements to come to Sardinia where the G8 summit will be held in la Maddalena island to protest against G8 and its policies and to present our alternatives for global justice, peace, democracy and environment.





AGREED UPON THE PARTICIPANTS IN

ASSEMBLIES, NETWORKS AND GROUPS MEETINGS

European Social Forum 17-21 September 2008, Malmö, Sweden



From the European public water network


We recognize the Charters of Mexico City (Joint Declaration of the Movements in Defense of Water) and Nairobi and the method of working inclusively and in unity that has characterized the social forums since their birth. In particular we want:

1. Recognition and implementation of the human right to drinking water as necessary for life. Access to water as a universal human right should be included in all constitutions of member countries, and in the basic principles and acts of the European Union. Pre-paid water meters must be forbidden.


2. Water to be excluded from all international trade agreements, including the treaties of the World Trade Organization.


3. The European Commission, European Council and individual European governments to withdraw their support from the World Water Forum, which is a flawed framework for decision-making on water. As adopted in a European Parliament resolution in March 2006, it is inappropriate for the World Water Council, a private body without any democratic legitimacy, to be allowed such influence over global water policies.


4. The European Union and member countries to affirm that water is a common good essential to life and as such cannot be categorized as a ‘commodity’ to trade like any other. Ownership, management and control of the integrated water cycle should be public and participative at a social and community level. The principles of public participation, full transparency and democratic accountability must be respected.


5. The European Union and member countries to guarantee the right to good quality water, recognizing that this can only be guaranteed under public control.


6. Political and financial support for diverse forms of public-public partnership, through international development cooperation and financial cooperation to ensure access to water, through the exchange of best practice among public enterprises and local authorities on models of participation and solidarity between citizens and communities from different countries and regions, including those suffering from droughts.

7. That the investment needed to secure safe and sustainable water supply for all in Europe and across the world is a collective responsibility, which should be paid for through general taxation.


8. The prohibition of industrial contracts for the exploitation of mineral bottled water in order to protect and conserve this resource for future generations.


9. Sustainable management practices that protect the ecology of the natural water cycles and maintain the quality of water in our rivers and aquifers, that has to be considered as potentially drinkable. This management model should also avoid the construction of big infrastructures projects (dams, fluvial interconnection, etc.) financed with public money and which directly promote the commercialization of water by big corporations.


10. Good working conditions for public water company employees. Workers must also be fully integrated into democratic decision processes on the development of water services.


The European Public Water Network of Movements, though working on the issue of water, is open to dialogue and collaboration with all the Movements and Networks who struggle against privatization of public services and common goods.


We will participate in and support, together with other continental networks and progressive forces in Turkey, the counterproposals to the World Water Council’s World Water Forum (Istanbul March 2009) that will be presented within and outside the Forum. At the upcoming World Social Forum in Belem (January 2009) we will present proposals and actions to ensure that water will become one of the points of worldwide mobilization of all the social forums.

Contact Martin Pigeon: martin@corporateeurope.org



From the Environmental and alternative movements' assembly


1. The seminars, workshops, cultural programmes and action events of the 2008 ESF have greatly enriched the debates about and build up cultural and social energy for the transformation to 'another world'. In the contexts of environment and alternatives, the topics have included among others food, water, energy, housing, climate, livelihoods, work, lifestyles, economy, politics, culture, gender and nature. The speakers and participants have promoted a wide variety of visions, campaigns, policies and initiatives for a sustainable future.


2. In the meetings of the Assembly for Environmental and Alternative Movements during the European Preparatory Assemblies and during the Malmö ESF number of concrete joint campaigns and actions have been discussed. Among them there are several that are hereby forwarded for the 2008 Assembly of the Social Movements at Malmö.


3. December 2008 Climate Action Days and the Poznan Climate Summit Actions is a perfect opportunity to show the popular will for climate politics that will be based on principles of justice, equity and democracy and that will change the society in a way, that the dangerous climate change can be prevented. This will have to include actions that will force the global consuming class to move away from wasteful use of energy and other natural resources so that the survival needs of the poor people of the world can be served. To prevent a climate catastrophe carbon emissions need to be reduced close to zero while the reflectivity of the Earth is increased and natural carbon absorbing processes catalysed.


4. The Belem WSF in January 2009 in the Amazon region provides a new context for coming together of the movements that will highlight the issues around democratic control of natural resource and environment. The future of the Amazon rainforests has global significance, and the indigenous people and other forest dwellers participating in the preparations will bring in vital aspects to the debates.


5. March 2009 the European people's summit in Brussels provides a forum a wide range of people's movements will gather to change the direction of the European Union. The environmental and alternative movements will contribute to the making of people's agenda to replace the unsustainable agenda of the present EU. Important elements for preparation of this include support to the Irish no-to-Lisbon treaty campaigns in the October (a new referendum) and a preparatory meeting for the summit in January 2009.


6. Via Campesina action day on April 17 2009 combines the vital issues around food and agriculture. It presents an unique opportunity for consumers and farmers to unite for a dignified, sustainable and safe food chain from farms to people.


7. In May the NATO 60th anniversary in Strasbourg in France and Kehl in Germany will provide an opportunity for peace movements and other alternative movements to reject the military build up and war at the time when all possible resources should be directed to peaceful and democratic resolution of conflicts and crisis.


8.In July the G8 summit in Sardinia, Italy is another occasion that brings together perhaps the widest range of popular movements around the world, besides the WSF.


9. The December 2009 Climate Summit in Copenhagen is supposed to make decisions that will prevent a dangerous climate change. Large mobilisation around the world has started among popular movements that will culminate in Copenhagen. We invite all to join.


10. Year 2010 will have new interesting mass actions showing the broadness of the movement and how many issues at the same time are addressed. There are plans for starting a new Women World March a new Euromarch against unemployment and social exclusion. These are most welcome initiatives where environmental and alternative movements can also play their part.

For more information: marko.ulvila@kaapeli.fi, tord.bjork@mjv.se



From the Migration Network Assembly


The Migration Network in ESF, in conclusion of the 5th ESF in Malmö, has agreed to keep working against the EU border regime and for migrants’ rights.


We call migrants’ movements, social movements and trade unions to join the struggle:

On these axes we will continue to promote the process of Tran nationalization or our struggles. The next steps will be the “Citizens summit” in Paris on October 17-18 and a common call addressed to all social movements for a period of European-wide actions and mobilization on December 10-18.





From the education Assembly


We, participating to the General Assembly  of Education Against Privatization at the 5th ESF in Malmö, call for an EUROPEAN DAY OF ACTION against privatization in education, during the  3rd week of November.



From the Antiwar Assembly


The global and permanent war, leaded by USA and their allies, goes on and is worsening every day, spreading destruction and death from Iraq to Afghanistan, from Palestine to Georgia.

The main tool of war is today the military alliance of NATO which is trying to enlarge its intervention and its domination all over the world, increasing the presence of military bases and trying to build the missile Shield.

At the beginning of April 2009 NATO will celebrate its 60 anniversary. Heads of States and of governments will try to transform it in a big propagandistic campaign for war and NATO.

On the 4th of April 2009, in Strasbourg-Kehl, where the celebration of NATO will take place, a big international demonstration will be organized to say STOP TO NATO, FOR THE DISSOLUTION OF THIS TERRIBLE TOOL OF WAR.

We also call all the movements of the countries which will not be able to come to Strasbourg-Kehl to organize demonstrations in their own countries.

We propose that organisations and movements and networks taking part in the WSF in Belem January 2009 try to launch there a global and worldwide mobilization in the day of 4th of April against war, NATO and other USA and imperialistic military alliances.



From the Palestinian network


This ESF has been held in the year we are commemorating 60 yeas of ongoing Palestinian Nakba Catastrophe. Since 1948 Israel has continued policies of ethnic cleansing and today holds Gaza under a criminal and inhumane siege and further entrenches its occupation via settlement expansion and the illegal Wall. Israel has developed a fully fledged apartheid regime.

The Annapolis process has been a smokescreen to continue the dispossession and oppression of the Palestinian people. We endorse the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel.  We condemn the complicity of the European Union, European governments and European corporations in Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people, and we unite to stop the upgrade of the EU/Israel Association Agreement and to work for the suspension of the agreement.



From the public services network

Hands off our common welfare!


Following the Athens statement at the ESF 2006 that has seen the creation of the European Network for Public Services, We, citizens, members of trade unions, non governmental organisations and local authorities gathered in the fifth European Social Forum in Malmö, declare:

We observe that European policies carry on attacking common welfare and public services through liberalisation and privatisation, creating more precariousness and unfairness within EU and in candidate countries. These policies undermine democracy, denying the rights of the citizens to participate and control public services. We denounce the corporate driven agenda of EU which benefits to trans-national companies instead of general interest. The crisis currently sweeping over the world is showing, more than ever, the dire consequences of neoliberal policies.

This offensive on public services shows its ineffectiveness for the users, including migrants: Prices are going up, quality and access are going down. Territorial and social inequalities are deepened. Furthermore, workers’ labour rights are threatened as they are considered as barriers to competition.

We denounce the position of the European Commission and national governments which stalled on adopting a framework directive in spite of a large mobilisation gathering trade unions, political parties and citizens.

In spite of the failure of the Doha round and GATS negotiations in the WTO, the European Union goes on exporting its neoliberal views under the “Global Europe” strategy which is a threat for non EU countries, as it creates unfair trade “partnerships” via bilateral trade agreements. This strategy also affects European citizens by furthering deregulation and undermining social rights within the EU.

Facing the climate crisis emergency, the extension of public services should be a tool to link the struggles for a public control on services with the struggles of environmental movements. Public services are an efficient means to control the use of natural resources, energy at the first place. For these reasons the mobilisations on climate change in December 2009 in Copenhagen give us the opportunity to build bridges and new alliances between trade unions, NGOs, associations and people promoting new strategies.

We are convinced that a large coalition is possible between trade unions, NGO’s, political parties and citizens’ organisations in every country and on a European level. Democratizing public services is a corner stone of an inclusive European Social Model.


For these reasons:




FROM THE ESF REPRESSION NETWORK


The ESF Repression Network co-organized and/or supported the following 5 seminars:


More than 500 people attended these seminars. We had very interesting discussions about the present and the planned repression and surveillance measures and how to oppose them.

We have seen that there’s a huge variety in such measures. Small groups actively supporting liberation movements, which are banned by the Black Lists, are as well persecuted as large social movements like the one against the G8 in Genoa and Rostock. The ruling classes use their “anti-terrorist” legislation to spy and put under surveillance the radical left in whole cities. In several countries the cameras at and the hidden microphones in the houses as well as phone and e-mail tapping of large numbers of alleged opponents to the policies of the ones in power have become daily phenomenon. Show trials and faked proofs serve to mislead the public. Political prisoners are held in isolation and kept imprisoned for many decades and even when they are heavily ill (e.g. in Turkey and the Basque Country).

We will strengthen our efforts to oppose these repression measures. We believe that an increased cooperation in the European frame to coordinate such opposition is necessary and possible. In respect of this we issued the following


DECLARATION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE ESF REPRESSION NETWORK


In the last decade social movements resist more and more against the neo-liberal globalization. Therefore also European governments increasingly use internal security and (anti-)terrorist frameworks to crack down on such movements.

At the same time imperialism uses terror lists and the (anti-) terrorist legislation to weaken and liquidate liberation movements, left wing organizations and solidarity groups.

In the seminars organized and supported by the ESF Repression Network we discussed how to oppose this repression and how to improve our cooperation within Europe. And we also see that more and more people in other ESF seminars discuss the repression measures their social movements are confronted with (e.g. climate, migration etc.).



From the women assembly


We are present in the ESF to propose feminist alternatives for the building of a different Europe .

We want to be heard since there is no democracy when half of the population is subordinated to the other, since there will never be democracy as long as equality between men and women will not be recognised as one of the founding values in Europe. Any discrimination grounded on sex, origin, ideology, belief, handicap, sexual orientation must be fought.

We want to be heard since a different Europe can’t be built without a feminist analysis and critic of the social, economical and political structures characterized by the strong connection between neo liberalism, patriarchy, militarism and religious fundamentalisms.

In the context of an increasing political intervention of churches in our lives that threatens severely our basic rights gained by women with so many difficulties, we call for the creation of a feminist front of resistance for a secular Europe.

We see violence against women as a major political issue, we refuse war as a solution to international conflicts. We ask for the broadening of the concept of European security to structural violence directed towards women in everyday life.

We reject patriarchal structures of domination/subordination as organisation of our societies and we demand equal power and equal rights in all the fields including the social forums.



Déclaration of the "World March of Women against violence and poverty"


" We agree with the proposal for a European mobilization against the worsening of working conditions, precarious jobs, increasing exploitation of labour forces while the public social services are being privatised or dismantled. These neoliberal policies, promoted by the EU and national governments in Europe implies more poverty and more work for women inside and outside their homes, affecting the possibility of independence for young women, and women of any age.

But not only in the economical area right wing politics is winning ground. Religious fundamentalism – particularly that of the Vatican – is more and more conditioning state policies, especially in the southern and eastern European countries, attacking constantly women’s right on free abortion and contraception, and self-determination on their own bodies and sexuality, including civil and social rights for homosexual couples.

There for the World march of women is now starting a campaign which will lead to a new international march in 2010 walking through the countries simultaneously from the 8 to the 18th of March, on 4 main issues:


        - economical independence for women (decent jobs and services)

        - stop male violence against women as a tool of control on their bodies and lives

        - defence of common goods and food sovereignty

        - peace and demilitarisation


 We invite all women and other social movements to join us.


Contacts : 

For Europe : marchfem@ras.eu.org

For world : info@marchemondiale.org

Internet : www.marchemondialedesfemmes.org



From the Final Assembly on Labour.


In the final Assembly on labour  there have been comments and proposals on labour issues.

Among them to work for an European legal framework for equal trade unionists fundamental rights  in Europe.

The Assembly expressed the need for strong social answers to the neoliberal, ant labour and ant migrants EU policies.


We agreed  to launch immediately a COMMON EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN against those policies, with different steps, and including a massive joint mobilization at European level.

As a first step, it is a urgent need to oppose the European working time directive, attacking work conditions and collective bargaining; to oppose the EU decisions on migrant labour.

As a second step, we want to build a large, inclusive Conference of all European social movements as a Counter summit at the occasion of the EU Summit at the end of march, with a strategic character, proposing alternatives.

Among them, to use some proposals in the Charter of principles for another Europe,  to continue the discussion of labour and globalization network, stressing the relationships between Europe and the Global south, and, in the context of the global financial crisis, to raise requests and mobilise for: suppression of fiscal paradises, lifting to bank secrets, prohibition of speculation on basic and agricultural products; taxing financial speculations; complete the abolition of the third world debt; create a redistributive system of wealth at European level.


We want a social Europe, opposed to a Europe in crisis and Europe fortress!







From the Seattle-to-Brussels Network, the Bi-regional Network Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean ‘Enlazando Alternativas’



Since we are fighting for a Europe based on social, environmental and democratic principles and rights -not corporate greed and power- we need to put the fight against the neoliberal economic policies of the EU –especially against the 'Global Europe’ strategy- at the center of our struggles.


The Lisbon Treaty, the EU institutions, the organized power of transnational corporations and their lobbies, the mayor political powers in the nation states, the EU policies like the trade and investment strategy 'Global Europe: Competing in the World', the aggressive push of the EU for new Free Trade Agreements (with Africa, Pacific, Caribbean, Asia, Latin America, etc.) and especially the migration regime like the Return Directive, which reinforced still more Fortress Europe, is resulting in an unsocial, unsustainable, unjust, militarized and racist EU, producing a huge ecological and social debt with the Global South.


The actual financial, energy, food, ecological, and institutional crisis of neoliberal order, which the EU is part of and a main player, will intensify the impacts on peoples and the environment globally, unless we change the current model of finances, production and consumption. Responding to this is an extremely challenge to all of us.


However, there are growing opposition and intensifying struggles to this neo-imperial Europe, both in Europe and in the Global South, as well as a convergence between these struggles, such like the climate justice, trade justice, food sovereignty, migration and anti-debt campaigns.


These mobilizations of social movements, unions and other political actors are promoting and constructing actual alternatives, based on grassroots democracy, participation and economic, ecological and social justice. Which enriches our common struggles to construct a different Europe.


Specific proposals and calls to the social movements:









Proposed by the space for the colective rights of the peoples:

sovereignty and self- determination


Different social movement and experiences in the struggle for the social and national rights in Europe, confluence in the ESF 08 to analyze the actuality of the self determination right of the peoples in the continent.


Among other common points relatives to the necessary development of the social and political rights and further in the democratization of the European context, all the participants from different countries we consider:


The process of the ESF has to include in its axis the struggle of the peoples for their self determination, as an inviolable right out of political considerations.

Every alternative engaged in a project to build an alternative Europe which wants more social and political democracy has to accept the right to national and social sovereignty based in the aim that different kinds of national, linguistic and cultural identities exists in the continent apart of actual stately institutions.

The signers take the compromise to develop this space of discussion inside the social forum process and at first in the next WSF in Belem. Finally we call movements to participate in this space.



FROM THE TRADE UNION SEMINARS ON THE ECJ JUDGMENTS ON LAVAL, VIKING, RÜFFERT AND LUXEMBURG CASES


Urgent Call for Mobilizations to Strengthen Workers Rights in Europe


With the judgments in the Laval, Viking, Rüffert and Luxemburg cases the European Court of Justice has struck an unprecedented blow to workers rights in Europe. The message from the judges of the Court is, that rights that have been obtained through long and often costly struggles in the EU member states, should be curtailed to comply with the so called “economic freedoms”. This is unacceptable.

Though the judgments deal with circumstances in four particular member states, they represent an attack not only on workers rights in the countries concerned, but on the whole trade union movement in Europe. We therefore urge trade unions and social movements in all of Europe to immediately launch a struggle to annul all effects of the judgments detrimental to trade unions.

Though some steps can be taken nationally and locally to avoid some potential damages from the judgments, a real long term solution can only be achieved at the European level by changing European law, and by securing workers rights from being subordinated to the economic freedoms so central in the EU treaty.

To this end, a decisive and urgent step is to call for specific changes in the Posting of Workers Directive to restore the directive to its status of a minimum harmonization directive allowing for a higher protection of workers, and a directive that in all respects would ensure equal pay for equal work.

In addition to this, we strongly support the proposal from the ETUC for a legally binding “social progress clause” to be added to the EU treaty. A clause which would subordinate the economic freedoms to social rights and workers’ rights.

As for these demands, the current crisis of the Lisbon Treaty after the Irish No, represents an opportunity. Since the future fundamental rules guiding the European Union are still to be decided on, trade unions and social movements must put workers rights in the centre of debate. This will only happen if major mobilization takes place. Four proposals stand out at the moment:

We support the Swedish trade unions’ demand of a stop of the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in the Swedish Parliament until this matter is fully resolved, and we urge them to mobilize for a demonstration before the debate in Parliament. We urge trade unions in other European countries to support such an effort.

We call on trade unions and social movements to join the demonstrations for decent work, organized by the international trade union movement on the 7th of October, and to ensure that the judgments of the court and the attack on workers rights they represent, is manifestly present in the demonstrations.

We call on all trade unions affiliated to the ETUC, to urge the ETUC to call for a demonstration in Brussels on the occasion of the meeting of the European Council in December.

We urge the European industrial trade union confederations to take a lead in the co-ordination of this struggle in Europe, including the use of the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty as leverage for a social progressive clause.



from the European attac network on financial markets meeting


Call for a day of action on 15th of October,

for the disarmament of the financial markets


These last weeks, we have again seen that when a financial crisis hits, taxpayers money are taken from public budgets to bail out financial markets.

On October 15th, French president Sarkozy is hosting a summit of EU-leaders, on the current financial crisis. On this date, the European Attac network will launch a declaration demanding several measures for gaining democratic control of financial markets.

We call for action on October 15th at stock market exchanges, demanding a tax on all financial transactions. This way we can put back into public budgets what is lost in this crisis, an also ensure a system of redistribution from rich to poor, instead of the current system of what has been called a "socialism for the rich".



















From Enlargement working group


CEE movements felt problems in their participation in the preparatory process for the 5th ESF. Central and Eastern European (CEE) voices should be heard more at the ESF 2010 which will take place in Istanbul (proposal: September). The Istanbul organizers held several meetings already with the outcome to come to a “political” agreement at first so that none of the participating organisations tries to put its interest above the common interests.


Conclusions:


  1. Not many big EPAs are necessary, it is necessary instead to invest funds into a more balanced participation in a better preparatory process.

  2. The next EPA (not only with the evaluation of the 5th ESF) should take place on the 28 – 30 November at latest in Western Europe. At least one further EPA has to take place in CEE every year. The first EPA should decide on the programme thematic axes (see the next point)

  3. The thematic axes for the 6th ESF should stay the same as for Malmö in order to avoid time-consuming discussions starting at the zero-point. The deadline for the merged programme has to be set at the end of January 2010 so that people can plan their vacations/holidays and register for participation by June 2010. In Malmö, too many seminars had overlapping themes and/or had to be cancelled because of lack of participants.

  4. It is necessary to establish just a little preparatory group for each EPA (EPA host org., last ESF host org., next ESF host org,).

  5. Start to build up the Solidarity fund from now on with a letter (“cultural appeal”) to support the participation of CEE initiatives and movements. It is necessary to allocate funds to pay for the travel of 2 pax of each CEE country to the next ESF.

  6. At least one preparatory CEE meeting should be organized before the next ESF (probably in Istanbul).

  7. It would be useful to establish a discussion forum at the ESF web-page.



Call for a European network

as the outcome of the Seminar on market oriented health care reforms

experiences and alternatives.


Initiators: Belgian Platform on Health and Solidarity, Swedish network for Common Welfare


In different European countries there seems to be a tendency of cooperation between Trade Unions and other social organizations on the issues of marketisation of health- and social services on the European and national levels. The moment can now be ideal to create a European Network.


The network is based on the idea of a healthcare and social service model based on solidarity, accessability, affordability and quality. Marketisation and liberalization of these services undermines these values. Healthcare and social service must be strengthened to respond to he needs of society and clearly protected form marketisation and commercialization on the different levels (EU, national, regional and local authorities).


Working together is a key factor in succeeding to achieve end/or maintaing this social model. The network must bring together Trade Unions, NGO’s, organizations of patients and users. Concrete actions, campaigning, lobbying, information are the methods of the network. In a first phase the network could work



message from Babels coordinators


We would like to thank the people of Malmö and the volunteers of the Forum for all their efforts.


But we would also like to denounce the lies circulating about Babels.


This has not been a Social Forum. It has been a Forum where arguments about money were more important than people. The Nordic Organising Committee had agreed a budget for interpretation and all they have been saying is that we cost money.


The supplement to the ESF program claims that the ESF needs to charge money because “it is expensive to hire interpreters”. That is a lie. We have not been hired, each one of us is an unpaid volunteer.


It is important to know that we are all volunteer interpreters and activists, and that we have never charged any money for our work. Why is the NOC lying to you?


Because the decisions of the finance group of the NOC to save one cent here, one cent there, have tragically backfired.


There are many examples of the incompetence of the Organising Committee. We shall give you but one example: the NOC did not allow us to buy cheaper tickets in April, when tickets were cheap. We had to wait for months to be given the go-ahead, because the finance group of the NOC made it clear that they did not trust Babels. We could not even be trusted to buy water bottles or notepads. Instead, the NOC took decisions without consultation to save money while bigger issues were ignored.


The interpreters needed decent accommodation, bus tickets, we needed a phone to be able to call to arrange accommodation, we needed basic things like mattresses, bedsheets and covers. But we never got any of this on time.


Despite having agreed on a budget for Babels, Francisco Contreras and Anders Palmqvist were the only people in the ESF allowed to use the Forum’s credit card. Because they did not trust us with anything, we never got anything on time: decent accommodation, bus cards for interpreters staying far away, water, mattresses, bedsheets, covers, toilet paper, earphones and many more necessary material to live and work in decent conditions.


Francisco Contreras made promises to us EVERY SINGLE day, and every single day he broke his promises. Our biggest mistake was to trust him and believe him, and to trust the members of the Board of the NOC to do what was necessary to make the forum work.


If we had known that they were lying to us, and that they would break promise after promise, we would not have allowed ANY of our volunteer interpreters to come to Malmö to be treated like they were. We should have cancelled interpretation long ago.


Because of this miserly attitude, there were NO sound technicians whatsoever in order to make the interpretation equipment work properly. The finance group thought it was too expensive to pay for an experienced technician from Greece to come to Malmö to teach others how to use the equipment. The forum saved a plane ticket from Greece, but the result is an immense waste of money and resources.


Now we have been promised that the travel costs of the Babels volunteer interpreters would be reimbursed, including the charge for bank transfers. It is very difficult to believe in these promises. This breach of trust is detrimental not only to the Forum, it is also detrimental to the trust that Babels volunteers have put in Babels itself.


Instead of dreaming about change and on how to make another world possible, we have been cursing the day we trusted members of the NOC.


Babels volunteers have worked and slept in the most terrible conditions during this Forum. Now some are saying that we are too expensive, when we have been shamelessly exploited, and treated like slaves.


We have proved in others forums that we can do our job well when we are allowed to do so. Babels hopes the Istanbul ESF will trust Babels volunteers to make Another World Possible.